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ALCOHOLISM | DRUG ABUSE | EATING DISORDERS | NICOTINE | GAMBLING | SEX | RELAPSE SYMPTOMS | SITE MENU ADDICTIONS ad·dic·tion n. Compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance: a drug used in the treatment of heroin addiction. An instance of this: a person with multiple chemical addictions. The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or or involved in something. An instance of this: had an addiction for fast cars. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language al·co·hol·ism n. The compulsive consumption of and psychophysiological dependence on alcoholic beverages. A chronic, progressive pathological condition, mainly affecting the nervous and digestive systems, caused by the excessive and habitual consumption of alcohol. Also called chronic alcoholism. Temporary mental disturbance and muscular incoordination caused by excessive consumption of alcohol. Also called acute alcoholism. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms: Craving--A strong need, or urge, to drink. Loss of control--Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun. Physical dependence--Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after stopping drinking. Tolerance--The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get "high." Yes, alcoholism is a disease. The craving that an alcoholic feels for alcohol can be as strong as the need for food or water. An alcoholic will continue to drink despite serious family, health, or legal problems. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Binge drinking is a period of continuing alcoholic intoxication lasting for at least two days, during which time the drinker neglects usual responsibilities. It is an activity that is sometimes associated with crime, particularly street fights after the closing time of clubs and bars. It can also be associated with alcohol-related traffic accidents, employment problems, legal difficulties, financial loss, family disputes and other interpersonal problems. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Alcohol addiction signs: •Do you ever feel guilty after drinking too much? •Do you ever end up drinking more than you planned? •Do you take a drink or two before going to a party where you know drinks will be served? •Do you ever avoid a party because drinks will not be served? •Do you find yourself sneaking extra drinks at parties? •Do your family or friends ever argue with you about your drinking, or the money it costs? •Do you feel a need to drink to calm down or relax? •Have you ever been unable to remember events that happened while you were drinking? •Do you take a drink first thing in the morning to get yourself together? •Do you look for excuses to celebrate and does celebrating always mean drinking? •Do you drink alone? •Do you drink more than four days out of the week? •Do you ever drink for several days in a row or over a weekend without ever sobering up? •Do you lie about your drinking or minimize the amount you drink? •Have you ever been late for work or missed appointments because you were drunk or hungover? •Have you ever fallen or had accidents related to drinking? •Do you look forward to a drink at a particular time of day? •Are you drinking more than you did a year ago? •Does it take less alcohol to get you drunk than it did a year ago? Alcohol affects your brain. Drinking alcohol leads to a loss of coordination, poor judgment, slowed reflexes, distorted vision, memory lapses, and even blackouts. Alcohol affects your body. Alcohol can damage every organ in your body. It is absorbed directly into your bloodstream and can increase your risk for a variety of life-threatening diseases, including cancer. Alcohol affects your self-control. Alcohol depresses your central nervous system, lowers your inhibitions, and impairs your judgment. Drinking can lead to risky behaviors, such as driving when you shouldn’t, or having unprotected sex. Alcohol can kill you. Drinking large amounts of alcohol at one time or very rapidly can cause alcohol poisoning, which can lead to coma or even death. Driving and drinking also can be deadly. In 2003, 31 percent of drivers age 15 to 20 who died in traffic accidents had been drinking alcohol. Alcohol can hurt you--even if you're not the one drinking. If you're around people who are drinking, you have an increased risk of being seriously injured, involved in car crashes, or affected by violence. At the very least, you may have to deal with people who are sick, out of control, or unable to take care of themselves. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services What is fetal alcohol syndrome? Fetal alcohol syndrome is a group of problems in children born to mothers who drank alcohol during their pregnancy. These babies are usually small and underweight. They often have birth defects such as delayed development and, as they grow older, they may have behavior problems. The most serious problem is mental retardation. FamilyDoctor.org Here are some alcoholism statistics that involve damage to the liver: • 3 drinks or more at one time may have toxic effects on the liver if mixed with over-the-counter medications like those with acetaminophen. • 70 percent of all people suffering from alcoholic hepatitis eventually may develop cirrhosis of the liver. • Liver cirrhosis was the 12th leading cause of death in the United States in 2000. • Liver cirrhosis is the fourth leading cause of death in people ages 45-54. • Women have a higher risk for developing cirrhosis than men. NewsDial.com H-30.995 Alcoholism as a Disability 1. The AMA believes it is important for professionals and laymen alike to recognize that alcoholism is in and of itself a disabling and handicapping condition. 2. The AMA encourages the availability of appropriate services to persons suffering from multiple disabilities or multiple handicaps, including alcoholism. 3. The AMA endorses the position that printed and audiovisual materials pertaining to the subject of people suffering from both alcoholism and other disabilities include the terminology "alcoholic person with multiple disabilities or alcoholic person with multiple handicaps." Hopefully, this language clarification will reinforce the concept that alcoholism is in and of itself a disabling and handicapping condition. (CSA Rep. H, I-80; Reaffirmed: CLRPD Rep. B, I-90; Reaffirmed by CSA Rep. 14, A-97) American Medical Association TOP OF PAGE Checklist of Relapse Symptoms 1. Exhaustion - Allowing oneself to become overly tired; usually associated with work addiction as an excuse for not facing personal frustrations. 2. Dishonesty - Begins with pattern of little lies; escalated to self-delusion and making excuses for not doing what's called for. 3. Impatience - I want what I want NOW. Others aren't doing what I think they should or living the way I know is right. 4. Argumentative - No point is too small or insignificant not to be debated to the point of anger and submission. 5. Depression - All unreasonable, unaccountable despair should be exposed and discussed, not repressed: what is the "exact nature" of those feelings? 6. Frustration - Controlled anger/resentment when things don't go according to our plans. Lack of acceptance. See #3. 7. Self-pity - Feeling victimized, put-upon, used unappreciated: convinced we are being singled out for bad luck. 8. Cockiness - Got it made. Know all there is to know. Can go anywhere, including bars, carry out's, boozy parties. 9. Complacency - Like #8, no longer sees value of daily program, meetings, contact with other alcoholics, (especially sponsor!), feels healthy, on top of the world, things are going well. Heck may even be cured! 10. Expecting too much of others - Why can't they read my mind? I've changed, what's holding them up? If they just do what I know is best for them? Leads to feeling misunderstood, unappreciated. See #6. 11. Letting up on disciplines - Allowing established habits of recovery - meditations, prayer, spiritual reading, AA contact, daily inventory, meetings - to slip out of our routines; allowing recovery to get boring and no longer stimulating for growth. Why bother?! 12. Using mood-altering chemicals - May have a valid medical reason, but misused to help avoid the real problems of impending alcoholic relapse. 13. Wanting too much - Setting unrealistic goals: not providing for short-term successes; placing too much value on material success, not enough on value of spiritual growth. 14. Forgetting gratitude - Because of several listed above, may lose sight of the abundant blessings in our everyday lives: too focused on # 13. 15. "It can't happen to me." - Feeling immune; forgetting what we know about the disease of alcoholism and its progressive nature. 16. Omnipotence - A combination of several attitudes listed above; leads to ignoring danger signs, disregarding warnings and advice from fellow members. - Excerpted from Akron Intergroup News, December 1998 TOP OF PAGE drug abuse n. Habitual use of drugs to alter one's mood, emotion, or state of consciousness. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary substance abuse n. The overindulgence in and dependence on an addictive substance, especially alcohol or a narcotic drug. Also called chemical abuse. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language Drug addiction signs: •Increase or decrease in appetite; changes in eating habits, unexplained weight loss or gain. •Smell of substance on breath, body or clothes. •Extreme hyperactivity; excessive talkativeness. •Needle marks or bruises on lower arm, legs or bottom of feet. •Change in overall attitude / personality with no other identifiable cause. •Changes in friends: new hang-outs, avoidance of old crowd, new friends are drug users. •Change in activities; loss of interest in things that were important before. •Drop in school or work performance; skips or is late to school or work. •Changes in habits at home; loss of interest in family and family activities. •Difficulty in paying attention; forgetfulness. •Lack of motivation, energy, self-esteem, discipline. Bored, "I don't care" attitude. •Defensiveness, temper tantrums, resentful behaviour (everything's a hassle). •Unexplained moodiness, irritability, or nervousness. •Violent temper or bizarre behaviour. •Unexplained silliness or giddiness. •Paranoia -- suspiciousness. •Excessive need for privacy; keeps door locked or closed, won't let people in. •Secretive or suspicious behaviour. •Car accidents, fender benders, household accidents. •Chronic dishonesty; trouble with police. •Unexplained need for money; can't explain where money goes; stealing. •Unusual effort to cover arms, legs. •Change in personal grooming habits. •Possession of drug paraphernalia. Does marijuana pose health risks to users? •Marijuana is an addictive drug1 with significant health consequences to its users and others. Many harmful short-term and long-term problems have been documented with its use: •The short term effects of marijuana use include: memory loss, distorted perception, trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of motor skills, decrease in muscle strength, increased heart rate, and anxiety2. •In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of emergency room mentions of marijuana use. From 1993-2000, the number of emergency room marijuana mentions more than tripled. •There are also many long-term health consequences of marijuana use. According to the National Institutes of Health, studies show that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day. •Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals, including most of the harmful substances found in tobacco smoke. Smoking one marijuana cigarette deposits about four times more tar into the lungs than a filtered tobacco cigarette. •Harvard University researchers report that the risk of a heart attack is five times higher than usual in the hour after smoking marijuana.3 •Smoking marijuana also weakens the immune system4 and raises the risk of lung infections.5 A Columbia University study found that a control group smoking a single marijuana cigarette every other day for a year had a white-blood-cell count that was 39 percent lower than normal, thus damaging the immune system and making the user far more susceptible to infection and sickness.6 •Users can become dependent on marijuana to the point they must seek treatment to stop abusing it. In 1999, more than 200,000 Americans entered substance abuse treatment primarily for marijuana abuse and dependence. •More teens are in treatment for marijuana use than for any other drug or for alcohol. Adolescent admissions to substance abuse facilities for marijuana grew from 43 percent of all adolescent admissions in 1994 to 60 percent in 1999. •Marijuana is much stronger now than it was decades ago. According to data from the Potency Monitoring Project at the University of Mississippi, the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of commercial-grade marijuana rose from an average of 3.71 percent in 1985 to an average of 5.57 percent in 1998. The average THC content of U.S. produced sinsemilla increased from 3.2 percent in 1977 to 12.8 percent in 1997.7 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration About Prescription Drug Addiction Somewhere at this very moment, a mother agonizes as her adult son, intoxicated on tranquilizers, destroys yet another family gathering. Elsewhere, a young man is writing out his own sedative prescription on a pad he's stolen from a doctor's office. And somewhere within the walls of a respected hospital, a nurse is shooting Demerol into her own veins, while her patient unknowingly gets an injection of saline solution. The case scenarios go on and on. Legions of Americans are abusing or becoming addicted to prescription drugs. Chances are you, or someone you know, is struggling with addiction to prescription drugs. Maybe it’s your spouse, a relative, a friend, or a casual acquaintance. Maybe it’s you. Maybe you’re not even sure if the drug use has shifted from therapeutic to abusive. PerscriptionDrugAddiction.com crack cocaine n. Chemically purified, very potent cocaine in pellet form that is smoked through a glass pipe and is considered highly and rapidly addictive. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. Truths About Cocaine TOP OF PAGE eating disorder n. A potentially life-threatening neurotic condition, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, usually seen in young women. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. Eating Disorder Resources anorexia ner·vo·sa n. : a serious eating disorder primarily of young women in their teens and early twenties that is characterized especially by a pathological fear of weight gain leading to faulty eating patterns, malnutrition, and usually excessive weight loss. Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc. bu·lim·i·a (by-lm-, -lm-, b-) n. A chronic eating disorder involving repeated and secretive episodes of eating, characterized by uncontrolled rapid ingestion of large quantities of food over a short period of time, followed by self-induced vomiting, purging, and anorexia and accompanied by feelings of guilt, depression, or self-disgust. Also called binge-eating syndrome, bulimia nervosa, hyperorexia. bu·limic adj. & n. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. binge eating disorder n. : an eating disorder characterized by recurring episodes of binge eating accompanied by a sense of lack of control and often negative feelings about oneself but without intervening periods of compensatory behavior (as self-induced vomiting, purging by laxatives, fasting, or prolonged exercise) Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc. TOP OF PAGE nicotine n. A colorless, poisonous alkaloid, C10H14N2, derived from the tobacco plant and used as an insecticide. It is the substance in tobacco to which smokers can become addicted. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary The use of tobacco products may be the Nation's most critical public health problem. It is, in fact, addiction to nicotine that is at the root of this enormous health, social, and financial burden. An improved overall understanding of addiction, coupled with the identification of nicotine as an addictive drug, has been instrumental in the development of medications and behavioral treatments for nicotine addiction. In essence, science-driven treatment development has provided to consumers the option to easily purchase effective treatments, such as the nicotine patch and nicotine gum, in their local drugstores and supermarkets. Science has also shown that treating addiction with medications alone is not nearly as effective as when the medication is coupled with a behavioral approach. While we have made substantial progress in developing both pharmacological and behavioral treatments that have proven effective for many people, much more remains to be done. Through the use of advanced neuroimaging technologies, we are now actually able to see some of the changes in brain function that occur as people smoke tobacco products. Researchers are beginning to find that there may be chemicals other than nicotine in cigarette smoke that contribute to tobacco's addictiveness. This finding and many other new research accomplishments in the addiction arena are providing us with an unprecedented opportunity to curtail this enormous public health crisis. We hope this compilation of scientific information will help to inform readers about our current understanding of nicotine addiction and its harmful effects and will assist in prevention and treatment efforts. Alan I. Leshner, Ph.D. Director National Institute on Drug Abuse Nicotine Addiction Illness caused by smoking Smoking has more than 50 ways of making life a misery through illness and more than 20 ways of killing you. In general, smokers endure poorer health than non-smokers. It has been estimated that, in England, 364,000 patients are admitted to NHS hospitals each year due to diseases caused by smoking. This translates into 7,000 hospital admissions per week, or 1,000 day. In 1997/98, cigarette smoking caused an estimated 480,000 patients to consult their GP for heart disease, 20,000 for stroke and nearly 600,000 for COPD. Half of all teenagers who are currently smoking will die from diseases caused by tobacco if they continue to smoke. One quarter will die after 70 years of age and one quarter before, with those dying before 70 losing on average 21 years of life. It is estimated that between 1950 and 2000 six million Britons, 60 million people worldwide, would have died from tobacco-related diseases. Non-lethal illness Smokers face a higher risk than non-smokers for a wide variety of illnesses, many of which may be fatal. However, many medical conditions associated with smoking, while they may not be fatal, may cause years of debilitating illness or other problems. These include: Increased risk for smokers Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (gum disease) Muscle injuries Angina (20 x risk) Neck pain Back pain Nystagmus (abnormal eye movements) Buerger’s Disease (severe circulatory disease) Ocular Histoplasmosis (fungal eye infection) Duodenal ulcer Osteoporosis (in both sexes) Cataract (2 x risk) Osteoarthritis Cataract, posterior subcapsular (3 x risk) Penis (Erectile dysfunction) Colon Polyps Peripheral vascular disease Crohn’s Disease (chronic inflamed bowel) Pneumonia Depression Psoriasis (2 x risk) Diabetes (Type 2, non-insulin dependent) Skin wrinkling (2 x risk) Hearing loss Stomach ulcer Influenza Rheumatoid arthritis (for heavy smokers) [5] Impotence (2 x risk) Tendon injuries Optic Neuropathy (loss of vision, 16 x risk) Tobacco Amblyopia (loss of vision) Ligament injuries Tooth loss Macular degeneration (eyes, 2 x risk) Tuberculosis Function impaired in smokers Ejaculation (volume reduced) Sperm count reduced Fertility (30% lower in women) Sperm motility impaired Immune System (impaired) Sperm less able to penetrate the ovum Menopause (onset 1.74 years early on average) Sperm shape abnormalities increased Symptoms worse in smokers Asthma Graves’ disease (over-active thyroid gland) Chronic rhinitis (chronic inflammation of the nose) Multiple Sclerosis Diabetic retinopathy (eyes) Optic Neuritis (eyes) Disease more severe or persistent in smokers Common cold Pneumonia Crohn’s Disease (chronic inflamed bowel) Tuberculosis Influenza Deaths caused by smoking One in two long-term smokers will die prematurely as a result of smoking - half of these in middle age. The most recent estimates show that around 114,000 people in the UK are killed by smoking every year, accounting for one fifth of all UK deaths. Most die from one of the three main diseases associated with cigarette smoking: lung cancer, chronic obstructive lung disease (bronchitis and emphysema) and coronary heart disease. The table shows the percentage and numbers of deaths attributable to smoking, based on the latest available detailed breakdown (2002 data). ASH ~ Action On Smoking TOP OF PAGE Compulsive gambling or pathological gambling falls in the area of impulse control disorders. It is characterized by an inability to resist impulses to gamble, leading to severe personal or social consequences. Symptoms Signs of Problem Gambling: •Increasing the frequency and the amount of money gambled •Spending an excessive amount of time gambling at the expense of job or family time •Being preoccupied with gambling or with obtaining money with which to gamble •Gambling creates a special and intense pleasure, an aroused sense of being "in action" •Continuing to gamble despite negative consequences such as large losses, or work or family problems caused by gambling •Borrowing money to gamble, taking out secret loans, or maximizing credit card •Bragging about wins but not talking about losses •Frequent mood swings, higher when winning, lower when losing •Gambling for longer periods of time or more money than originally planned •Secretive behavior such as hiding betting slips or receipts; having mail, bills, etc., sent to work, a P.O. box or other address MedicineNet.com Compulsive Shopping What behaviors indicate compulsive shopping and spending? Behaviors typical of compulsive shopping and spending include the following: •Shopping or spending money as a result of feeling disappointed, angry or scared •Shopping or spending habits causing emotional distress in one's life •Having arguments with others about one's shopping or spending habits •Feeling lost without credit cards •Buying items on credit that would not be bought with cash •Feeling a rush of euphoria and anxiety when spending money •Feeling guilty, ashamed, embarrassed or confused after shopping or spending money •Lying to others about purchases made or how much money was spent •Thinking excessively about money •Spending a lot of time juggling accounts or bills to accommodate spending Identification of four or more of the above behaviors indicates a possible problem with shopping or spending. The Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery TOP OF PAGE TYPICAL CHARACTERISITICS OF SEXUALLY ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR •A constant preoccupation with thoughts of engaging in sexual activity, which often interfere with your ability to function normally. •Having anonymous sex with strangers on an ongoing, continual basis. •Going into and staying in debt for the purpose of obtaining sex with prostitutes. This may also includes multiple online subscriptions to pornographic Web portals or “sex chats”. •A need (dependence) on sexually explicit material in order to become sexually aroused and/or to reach orgasm. •Abandoning personal relationships, including those with friends and partners and instead opting for anonymous sexual encounters. •Trading drugs for sex. Prostituting for purposes of excitement and not for money. •Exhibitionist activities, including exposing oneself in a car, theater or in places that others are intended to witness. •Looking for sex in public places, including public bathrooms. •Manipulating others to have sex through the use of drugs and/or alcohol. •Exposure to sexually transmitted diseases due to ongoing, unsafe anonymous sex. •Obsessing over sex to the point where it interferes with your ability to work, communicate with others, or in any way live normally. John D. Moore, MS, CADC eNotalone.com Inc. The Sexual Addiction Screening Test (SAST) is designed to assist in the assessment of sexually compulsive or addictive behavior. Developed in cooperation with hospitals, treatment programs, private therapists, and community groups, the SAST provides a profile of responses which help to discriminate between addictive and nonaddictive behavior. Go to SAST |
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